The Blues are looking forward to some dry weather rugby in Brisbane on Saturday night but are also wary of overplaying the conditions.
Coach Pat Lam and his players head across the Tasman on Thursday ahead of their Super Rugby semi-final with minor premiers Queensland, leaving the wet, wintry Auckland weather behind them.
Lam said a dry Suncorp Stadium would mean his team “can play some rugby”.
But their 37-31 round-robin defeat to the Reds last month at the same venue also taught them that they still needed to do the basics.
“We went from rain, a lot of wet weather, and we went over there and were really loose with our passes,” he said.
“It’s given us a real focus on making sure our detail is right, that we can’t take it for granted that a dry ground is going to mean running the ball at ease.”
Lam has named a line-up that at present contains one forced change in the starting 15, with loose forward Chris Lowrey deputising for Anthony Boric at lock.
Boric suffered a mid-foot sprain in the win over the NSW Waratahs last Friday night, and has been ruled out of the rest of the competition.
Lam described Boric as a big loss but said Lowrey had shown his ability at lock when used there.
He was also confident the Blues would claim their share of lineout ball, despite being down to one frontline lock in Ali Williams.
“Chris Lowrey showed against the Highlanders he can win ball,” he said.
“The thing about lineouts is there’s more than just having a tall guy there.
“It about making sure the timing, the combinations and the execution are right, so we’re confident we will get enough ball and it won’t all go to Ali Williams.”
One selection uncertainty is on the left wing, with Rene Ranger and Lachie Munro bracketed.
Ranger is coming back from two weeks out with a hamstring injury, while Munro got bruising to his lower body after NSW skipper Phil Waugh clattered into him last Friday.
Lam said he would wait until arriving in Brisbane before deciding between Ranger’s line-breaking ability and Munro’s goalkicking.
The Blues haven’t been in the last four of the competition since 2007, when they lost to top qualifiers the Sharks, and Lam said the feeling within the camp was “fantastic”.
“We’ve got nothing to lose,” Lam said.
“Four hasn’t beaten one in 12 years and everything points to a Reds victory, so it’s a good challenge for us.”
Blues: Jared Payne, Joe Rokocoko, Benson Stanley, Luke McAlister, Lachie Munro/Rene Ranger, Stephen Brett, Alby Mathewson; Peter Saili, Luke Braid, Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Chris Lowrey, John Afoa, Keven Mealamu (capt), Charlie Faumuina. Res: Tom McCartney, Tevita Mailau, James King/Mat Luamanu, Daniel Braid, Chris Smylie, Munro/Ranger, Winston Stanley/Sherwin Stowers.
Jerry
Guest
"He’s not that kind of player." I wonder what Richie McCaw thinks about that?
zhenry
Guest
2 or 3 extra hard games, including 2 or 3 extra weeks training and travelling, on the back of this marathon bazaar competition, is likely to be very critical. The fact that NZ rugby administrators allowed this monster comp to be introduced in a WC year, especially when it is going to be played in NZ, is brainless. All for the sake of a cheap AU national comp, wall to wall TV and a 5th franchise that you cant even support but by recruiting NZ players (and more and more). We get such respect from John O'Neill and AU rugby for our troubles, NOT, and how could anyone respect such a destructive attempt to progress NZ rugby. Peters, the NZer head of SANZA who has his Office down the road from O'Neill, allows a UK based player that has left Super rugby, years ago, to play for the Stormers because they have injury problems, at least NSW had the integrity to use NSW based players. This man defends his decision by removing the issue from context, generalising and dousing with a puerile flow of PR: Mindless and gutless. Paddy O'Brien and Tew line up.
winston
Guest
I said a strong Crusaders side. The side the Blues beat were pretty much full strength except for SBW. Not taking anything away form the Reds victory. Just saying that when the blues are on they are very hard to beat.
p.Tah
Guest
Realistically they are only playing 2 games more than the others who didn't make the finals, 3 at the most if the Crusaders and Blues get though.
Jerry
Guest
You have lemon with your chips, JB? I save it for the fish myself. But then, I think Jiggles may have caught himself one of those....
zhenry
Guest
I reckon that the Blues and the Crusaders should tell the Reds and the Stormers, and should have told the Waratahs: 'go play these Super Duper finals against yourselves', while we retire to the beach and bush walks and store up our energy for what really counts (it must be so the WBs have won it twice). That aside SH rugby history points to fact that winning Murdoch's Super Bazaar is not directly related to winning the Tri-Nations or WC. Would not surprise me if this marathon knackered career ending John O'Neill inspired romp causes the countries with the most teams that go all the way, to forfeit the 'prize of all prizes' to the country with the least teams that don't go all the way. In a word knackered.
zhenry
Guest
How far do you want to go back mate, you smug cherry ripe little angel.
flying hori
Guest
The Reds should win - if they don't its going to be catastrophic to the wallabies cause then to the ABs cause. Bring it on! Panic, panic, panic Reds, the whole of your nation rest with you YOUNG fellas, bear the pressure, think clearly, if all goes wrong just blame QC! for hes a kiwi is'nt he?
Geoff Brisbane
Guest
Gee will love to see a great game on Saturday taking nothing for granted from both teams it is just do or die. 2 teams 1 winner yahooo.
Joseph
Guest
Bayboy The Reds were missing players as well, against the Crusaders. Blues may have beaten the Crusaders in round 1, then got smacked by the Sharks, then Crusaders beat them later on in the season. The Reds have beaten, Crusaders Blues Stormers Bulls They only lost 1 game out of their own conference and lost 2, almost 4, the the apparently weakest conference. What's your point? The Reds have been better all season. It is the finals of coarse, but your trying to make a team that has done worse than the Reds, look better. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
This sounds like some good old fashioned kiwi excuse making to me!
johnny-boy
Guest
And maybe some lemon too :)
CraigB
Roar Guru
vinegar with that chip?
Emuarse
Guest
That was in a very early game that the Blues beat the Crusaders. In the return game, the Crusaders looked pretty much in control to me, as will be the Reds on Saturday night.
Bayboy
Guest
The Reds did not play a full strength Crusaders team Jiggles the saders were missing quite a few big names Whitelock, Ellis, Maitland, Dagg, Fotuali'i off the top of my head. The officiating was appalling as has been discussed over and over on this site. The Reds would get pumped by a Crusaders team at full strength
Bayboy
Guest
Absolutely agree Winston Everyone is banging on about their recent loses, well did the Brumbies not pump the Reds at home in Brisbane not so long ago. It's finals footy anything can happen. If the Blues win it will me a huge upset the Reds are hands down favorites to win this game and going by some of the posts in here the Blues need not even bother showing up. Reality is should the Blues and Crusaders lose NZ rugby will be quietly confident as two teams making the S15 semi finals one on indifferent form and the other playing against all the odds and not one game at home this year speaks volumes about the caliber of these teams. 11 other teams have fallen to the wayside and now 4 teams have a realistic shot at the title. The Reds are sitting pretty but do they hold the trump card
B-Rock
Roar Guru
Bayboy - Events which happened 8+ yrs ago arevirtually irrelevant to the outcome on Saturday night. Only two teams in the comp can claim to have experience in winning major finals matches - Crusaders and Bulls. The Reds crowd will not be a major motivator for QLD - unless the Blues have 10K+ fans there you will not notice it at all. Reds by 10 in a reasonably close one, with rest and a home crowd to get the Reds over the line in the second half. Blues will have to lift massively from last week where they were average against a virtual sydney club side.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Didn’t the Reds also beat the Crusaders? Or do the Crusaders only really loose when it’s against another NZ team…
B-Rock
Roar Guru
He was clearly not trying to hurt him - was trying to either hold the ball up or stop him from improving the angle of the kick. Certainly didnt look like much in it at the time - to be honest I thought he was trying to milk a card soccer style Compared to the hits these blokes take each game this looked very soft - must have connected in the wrong spot to still be having an impact a week later
Winston
Guest
It should be close. Anyone who says the Blues are no hope hasn't watched many of their games this season. They are the only team that has beaten a strong Crusaders side this year.